SNAICC in the News – Federal Government’s childcare reform pledges to scrap Activity Test
The week of 9 December 2024 covers the Federal Government’s recent childcare reform announcement that pledges to scrap the Activity Test and provide at least three days of subsidised childcare per week for families.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced major childcare reforms, including the removal of the Activity Test and at least three days of subsidised childcare weekly for families earning under $530,000 annually, if Labour is re-elected. Scrapping the Activity Test, which has excluded at least 126,000 children—many from First Nations and low-income families—could enable thousands of women to join the workforce and address systemic inequities. SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle welcomed the changes, highlighting their potential to provide thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with access to early learning, better preparing them for school and future success. Organisations such as Thrive by Five, The Parenthood and the Minderoo Foundation celebrated the reforms and the reforms are seen as a significant move toward universal access to education in Australia.
Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner, has urged the Federal Government this week to reaffirm its commitment to children’s human rights, in response to Queensland’s controversial ‘Making Queensland Safer‘ Bill, which proposes life sentences for children as young as 10. Hollonds described the legislation as an ‘international embarrassment’, warning it would worsen the over-incarceration of vulnerable children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth, who are already disproportionately represented in Queensland’s justice system.
For more complete coverage, find the news stories linked below.
Topic: Federal Government’s childcare reform pledges to scrap Activity Test
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced significant childcare reforms this week, promising to scrap the Activity Test and provide at least three days of subsidised childcare per week for families earning less than $530,000 per year if Labour is re-elected in the next federal election.
The announcement, along with a $1 billion fund to build or expand over 160 childcare centres in regional and suburban areas, brings Australia closer to universal childcare. It is estimated that the test has contributed to at least 126,000 children, many from First Nations and low-income families, missing out on early childhood education, and scrapping it would see thousands of women join the workforce. Education advocates have long argued that childcare should be a universal right, like primary schooling, rather than a privilege tied to parental circumstances, as research shows the first five years are critical for learning and development.
SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle welcomed the childcare reform, stating that it would allow thousands more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to access early learning services, preparing them for school and setting them up for future success. She said that the Activity Test had long denied children access to essential early education, with many families receiving only one day of care per week or disengaging completely due to limited subsidised hours. Catherine described the implementation of 100 hours of subsidised early education and care as a game changer for vulnerable children. SNAICC has long advocated for the removal of the Activity Test, which aligns with the Productivity Commission’s recommendations to do so as part of a move to universal access to education.
The Minderoo Foundation, Thrive by Five and The Parenthood all celebrated the government’s announcement, with Thrive by Five’s Jay Weatherill and Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent criticising the Activity Test as punitive and inequitable, particularly for low-income and First Nations families. Weatherill likened it to denying primary education based on parental employment, reinforcing that early learning should be treated as a right, not a privilege. It is estimated that the reform could enable nearly 40,000 parents, particularly single mothers and casual workers, to return to work or increase their hours, and the reforms could tackle systemic challenges like intergenerational disadvantage and youth crime.
In addition to the scrapping of the Activity Test, the Albanese Government announced a Growth Fund to support the establishment of new early learning centres in areas with limited access, particularly in remote and regional regions where many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families live. Catherine Liddle welcomed the announcement and noted the importance of funding Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and non-profit organisations, pointing out that ACCOs are best positioned to engage with families and provide culturally appropriate services. The federal opposition has dismissed the reforms as a pre-election tactic. Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson called the policy ‘smoke and mirrors’, while the NSW Council of Social Service highlighted its potential to disrupt cycles of intergenerational disadvantage.
The announcement represents a significant turning point in the effort to create a more equitable early childhood education system, with bipartisan support now viewed as essential. As the government promotes this initiative to voters, it marks an important stage in reframing early education as a right for every child, with the potential to reduce inequality and improve educational outcomes across Australia.
For complete coverage, find the linked media release and news stories below.
Read the full Media ReleaseArticle: Federal plan to drop ‘activity test’ will help more Indigenous children access childcare, advocates say
Excerpt:
Read the full articleSNAICC – National Voice for our Children chief executive Catherine Liddle said the announcement by the Prime Minister would see thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children able to access early education and care.
“This can be a game-changer for our babies. It will mean more children developmentally ready for school, setting them up for a thriving future,” she said.
“Families will be better supported by having access to wrap around services in Aboriginal community-controlled (ACCO) centres.
“SNAICC has strongly advocated for the removal of the Activity Test for many years. I am very pleased the evidence and strong voices of our sector are being heard. The activity test effectively denied many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children the opportunity to access crucial early learning services.”
Article: Labor promises three days subsidised child care if re-elected, scrapping activity test
Excerpt:
Read the full articlePrime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised a guaranteed three days of subsidised childcare per week, with $1 billion going towards expanding quality and access, as part of Labor’s pre-election pitch to voters.
If Labor is re-elected, families earning less than $530,000 will qualify for the scheme, which will replace the current activity test model for accessing childcare subsidies.
Article: Thousands of families could benefit from free childcare
Excerpt:
Read the full articleIts removal was also welcomed by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, with the peak body saying it would help close the gap.
Article: Ditching the ‘activity test’ is a big shift moving childcare from a parental privilege to a young person’s right
Excerpt:
Read the full articleThe peak body for Indigenous young people, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, said the changes could help close the gap and could even tackle youth crime.
“This can be a game-changer for our babies. It will mean more children developmentally ready for school, setting them up for a thriving future,” SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said.
“These reforms to early education and care also have the potential for wider impacts in the community, with recent studies showing interventions in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings with vulnerable children and their families may be the key to reducing youth crime.”
Topic: Anne Hollonds on the ‘Making Queensland Safer‘ Bill
Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner, has urged the federal government this week to reaffirm its commitment to Australian children’s human rights in light of Queensland’s controversial ‘Making Queensland Safer’ Bill.
The Bill, which has been opposed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, legal and human rights advocates, seeks to impose life sentences on children as young as 10 for five serious offences, including manslaughter and grievous bodily harm. The Bill also removes the principle of detention as a last resort, which is a basic tenet of Australia’s ratified international conventions and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Hollonds labelled the Bill an ‘international embarrassment’, saying that it disregards the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and may lead to an increase in the incarceration of vulnerable children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Reportedly, Queensland already incarcerates a disproportionate number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and experts argue that this Bill will only exacerbate the problem.
SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle also condemned the Bill, stressing its negative impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. She said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are already over-represented in Queensland’s juvenile justice system and that this legislation will only make matters worse.